Euro 2016 Bracket: Quarter-Finals Format, Fixtures, Odds and Predictions
Just eight teams remain in the race to be crowned kings of the continent as the 2016 UEFA European Championship races towards the quarter-final stage.
England and reigning champions Spain were two of the big names to fall short in the last 16, paving the way for a fascinating lineup in the next knockout round. Hosts France are still involved, while Germany, Belgium and Italy all flexed their muscles with comprehensive victories in their last outings.
It’s at this point when the teams involved start to consider winning this title as a feasible possibility rather than a fanciful one. With that in mind, here’s a look at who the bookmakers see as the favourites for overall glory, the odds for each of the quarter-final matches and a closer look at the sides still involved.
TOP NEWS
Madrid Fines Players $590K 😲
'Mbappé Out' Petition Gaining Steam 😳
Star-Studded World Cup Ad 🤩
| Poland vs. Portugal | 41-13 | 21-10 | 5-4 | 1-2 |
| Wales vs. Belgium | 5-1 | 27-10 | 3-4 | 0-1 |
| Germany vs. Italy | 5-4 | 21-10 | 16-5 | 1-0 |
| France vs. Iceland | 3-7 | 50-13 | 9-1 | 3-0 |
| Germany | 11-4 |
| France | 3-1 |
| Belgium | 4-1 |
| Italy | 5-1 |
| Portugal | 13-2 |
| Poland | 18-1 |
| Wales | 25-1 |
| Iceland | 33-1 |
Odds courtesy of Oddschecker and Odds Shark.
Quality Quarter-Final Lineup to Come
At this stage of the competition, the cream typically rises to the top. Italy and Germany, who will face each other in arguably the standout quarter-final contest, are two nations that always seem to adhere to that adage.
Germany may not have been at their very best since they won the FIFA World Cup in 2014, but against Slovakia in the previous round, they upped the ante. Experienced players like Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels, Toni Kroos and Mesut Ozil all shone, as their opponents were swept aside.
Julian Draxler is a fresh face who’s brought an edge to their attacking play. Bleacher Report UK broke down his brilliant performance against the Slovaks:
Italy are another outfit you’d bracket as a "tournament team," something they showed emphatically against Spain in their 2-0 win.
Manager Antonio Conte may not have the finest set of players to work with in terms of individual talent, but the Azzurri are a savvy outfit. They’ve managed matches superbly at this tournament, and with a rock-solid defensive structure to call upon, they will cause problems for Germany.
The winner of that one could take on France in the semi-finals, but it would be foolish to rule out their opponents, Iceland, after they staged a tremendous win against England in the last 16. As we can see here courtesy of Oddschecker, while the French are the hosts, the underdogs will have a raucous backing of their own:
Didier Deschamps’ side did show some signs of vulnerability against the Republic of Ireland in their last game and were poor before Antoine Griezmann bailed them out with a second-half brace. Nevertheless, they still should be too strong for the Nordic outfit.
Another fascinating quarter-final will see Wales facing a Belgium team beginning to click into gear. Indeed, inspired by the brilliance of Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne, the Red Devils were tremendous in a 4-0 win against Hungary in the last 16; Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe was very impressed with the pairing:
Wales will have confidence nonetheless. They took four points from six against Belgium in qualifying for this tournament, and in Gareth Bale, they have a man who’s arguably been the standout player in France. As noted by Goal’s Ben Hayward, the Real Madrid man always seems to pop up in the biggest moments:
The one remaining quarter-final will see Poland and Portugal go toe-to-toe, as they both edged through their respective knockout ties. It’s likely to be billed as a battle of two of Europe’s star forwards; Cristiano Ronaldo seems to be finding his feet in France, although Poland talisman Robert Lewandowski has yet to net.
At the moment, Germany look like the team to beat. Italy have the nous, and France have the backing of their home supporters, plus some stellar attacking talent. However, Joachim Low’s players know what’s required to get over the line late in tournaments, and after a comprehensive performance against Slovakia, things are looking ominous for the rest of the field.
